


Southern Men, Southern Comforts

by Derenieh_Maeverin



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Car Accidents, F/M, Female Character of Color, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Love, Plus Size Love Interest, Self-Esteem Issues, mild suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-04-13 16:58:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14116836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Derenieh_Maeverin/pseuds/Derenieh_Maeverin
Summary: Grace is dark-skinned, kinky-haired, and what some would just categorize as over-weight, but somehow, she's hooked the blonde-haired, incredibly fit, southern-drawl carrying a Jasper Hale. He's a southern man with southern comforts and she is swooning.This will loosely, sometimes follow the Bella/Edward story-line in the first book, except with Jasper and Grace. I don't presently have plans to write Bella into the piece, but who knows?





	1. Blood in the Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasper just wants to protect Grace, but the smell of blood is in the air. How will this story unfold?

“Jasper. Take Grace and leave. Now.” Carlisle's voice was calm, but the urgency he portrayed was very clear. Jasper growled low in his throat, teeth bared and ready to attack.

“Jasper now!” Carlisle snapped. It was enough to shake Jasper's head clear. He turned to Grace who was pale with fear. He grabbed her hand and started to run, the rest of the family closing ranks to block them as they headed into the trees.

“Hold on tight.” Jasper said and practically threw Grace onto his back. They reached the cars and Jasper helped her into Emmett's jeep. She fiddled with the buckles for a moment because she couldn't stop her body and hands from trembling. After that moment though, Jasper pushed her hands out of the way and buckled the straps for her.

“I-I'm s-sorry.” Grace stuttered. When Jasper didn't respond, Grace decided to just keep her eyes forward and watch the trees go by.

Jasper drove through the woods on a dirt path that had obviously formed by walkers for about 10 minutes until there was a break and they reached an asphalt road. He turned and they continued driving. Grace glanced at the speedometer and saw 110 mph. She swallowed and turned back forward. She was honestly a little afraid to look at Jasper. She had never seen him the way that he was in that clearing before. His eyes had been so angry. No...fierce with rage. His whole body had been tense and he had looked ready to rip someone to shreds.

“Are you okay?” He asked and looked at Grace. She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded, but didn't say anything.

“I'm sorry for the way I behaved. I never wanted you to see me like that. I could just feel their emotions and that immediately sent rage flowing through my body. Vile bastards.” Jasper could feel the anger rising again, but stopped talking and focused on staying calm. It was quiet in the car for a while longer as they drove into the setting sun.

“Who were they?” Grace asked after a few minutes.

“Nomadic vampires. We've run into them before. Laurent, the dark-skinned one is the leader of their trio. James, the other male, is a tracker. He can track a scent hundreds of miles away. Then there is Victoria. No special traits except for a fiery personality. We tried to have them as friends, but they refused to adhere to our vegetarian eating habits, so we went our separate ways rather peacefully.”

“So what was that all about? What did you feel from them?” Grace asked immediately after he had finished.

He was quiet for a bit. If he was gonna talk about it, he wanted his own emotions to be in check first.

“They immediately knew that you were human. They could smell you and they wanted you. That alone was enough to make me angry, but there was something about James. It wasn't just a hunger for your blood...It was a lust for you. I could practically read his thoughts from the disgusting emotions he was emanating. It sent me into a rage. I wanted to rip his throat out right there.”

Grace swallowed a lump of fear sitting in her throat. “W-what do we do? Are they gonna leave us alone?”

“No.” Jasper said and gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Not James at least. But I don't want you to worry about that . My family will handle it and then things can go back to normal.” At that moment, Jasper's phone rang and he answered almost instantly.

“Carlisle.” He said and it was silent until he hung up. Grace started to ask what had happened, but Jasper spoke first. “We're going back.” He tried to appear calm, but Grace could tell that something was wrong. She decided to stay quiet in that moment. She was scared, but she wanted to give Jasper the space and time she could tell he needed.

When they finally reached the Cullen home, everyone was in the living room waiting for them.

“Laurent ordered their retreat.” Carlisle started.

“On his own?”

“Well it took a little persuasion.” Emmett said and smirked. “I don't think they'll be bothering us anymore. If they know what's good for them.”

“Just to be safe though, I called your dad and told him that you were sleeping over with me!” Alice chimed in. “So you'll be hanging with us all weekend!” Her cheerful attitude, although seemingly ill-placed for the circumstances was much appreciated, and Grace physically relaxed for the first time in hours..

“Alice, would you mind taking Grace upstairs and showing her where her quarters will be?” Jasper asked without really looking at her.

“W-wait I wanna know what's going on.” Grace interjected and frowned.

“Please Grace. I need to talk to Carlise. I promise that I'll be up soon.” The pleading look in his eyes was enough to placate Grace and she was swept away by the ever chipper girl.

“We have 4 guest bedrooms on the 2nd floor, but I think I know which one will be your favorite!” Alice chimed and they headed up the stairs. “In fact, I spent some time last week setting up a room just for you! I figured you would be around a lot, so just in case you wanted your own space, you can truly have one.” They reached a room off to the left of the staircase, two doors down to be exact and Alice pushed the door open. They walked in, Grace first, and stood in the middle of the floor as she took in the space. Her favorite colors were everywhere in the room. Lavender and pale green. The entire back wall was made of glass. And the forest was as stunning as it was on the main floor. Maybe even more so with the view from above. There was a pretty large bed as well and Grace was almost surprised by that fact. But of course Alice would take Grace's human-ness into consideration when designing a room for her. 

The shelves on the east wall were lined with Grace’s favorite books. The ‘Emily the Strange’ series stood out, due to the dark bindings and splashes of red. She wondered just how much Jasper had told his family about her. Or maybe Edward had just read her mind a few times at school.

Grace was a little overwhelmed by the thought that most if not all of the Cullen's may have had a role in creating this space. She had had more than a few worries when she realized Jasper had began to court her. For one, he was white, and that meant that his family was white. Then, of course, there was the fact that Jasper was a southern man. Maybe he had an open mind, but she couldn’t imagine that his family would be overjoyed when a brown-skinned, kinky-haired girl walked through the door with their son. No matter how much Jasper asked and tried to assure her, Grace had put off meeting his family. 

Then she found out that Jasper and the rest of his family were vampires from different eras in time. Jasper had confessed that he had been a major in the Confederate Army, and though Grace was not an empath, she could feel the guilt and remorse rolling off of his body as he kneeled in front of her. She was already in love with him by that point and found it relatively easy to forgive his 150 year past. He was dating a black girl after all. That had to signify a shift in thought for the young man. But Grace remained hesitant about his family, and it took her months to finally agree to meet them. 

Now, here she was, looking around a room that had been designed especially for her. This room was filled with things she loved and the affirmation that the Cullen family truly cared for her. To say she was overwhelmed with emotion was an understatement.

Alice’s sweet soft voice pulled her from her thoughts after what must have been a few moments. “So there are a few items of clothing in the closet, but I figured we could go shopping this weekend. The boys are gonna go hunting, so it will be you, me, Rosalie, and mom. I’ve got the entire weekend itinerary planned out already. Girls' days are the best!” Alice said cheerily.

Grace was suddenly aware once again of what had happened earlier in the evening.

“Alice...what's gonna happen? Can you see anything?” She asked as she sat on the bed in her new room. She didn't want to look at Alice when she got her answer, so she stared at the print of a giant white tree on the solid black comforter.

“No one has made any decisions. So no. I have no idea. But I'm constantly searching, and the minute any of them decide to move, I will know. You are perfectly safe with us, so as hard as it may seem to do otherwise, you don't have to worry.” She smiled her bright and charming smile and Grace couldn't help but smile back in response.

“Jasper is on his way up. I'll see you in the morning for Girls' day!” Alice kissed Grace's cheek and practically floated out and down the hall.

Jasper entered shortly after with a soft smile on his face. He crossed the room swiftly and wrapped his arms around Grace. She reciprocated the hug and sighed.

“How are you doing?” He whispered into her hair.

“I'm okay. Trying not to worry. This is a beautiful room.”

Jasper kissed her temple. “It was mom's idea. She and the rest of the family absolutely adore you and wanted you to have a space and feel as welcome and as comfortable as possible.”

“I'm sort of blown away. We've only been together for a few months.”

“Well they know how I feel about you. You are my soulmate, and they all know what it feels like to be around the most important person in their lives. They're so happy. I'm the last one to find my mate.” He chuckles more to himself than anything else. “I'm all grown up now in the eyes of my parents and brothers and sisters. I've come of age.”

Grace smiled softly and hugged Jasper a little tighter. They spent the rest of Grace's waking hours listening to music and talking. At one point, Jasper left the room so that Grace could get into pajamas. She blushed at his chivalry as she put on a plain black t-shirt and black yoga pants. She hadn't ever met someone with such old-fashioned tendencies. Her dad had always taught her that the way she was supposed to be treated was like how Jasper did, but she had always brushed it off because her dad came from a different time in the world and people just weren't like that anymore. She climbed into the giant bed and wrapped herself in blankets as Jasper walked back into the room.

“Will you stay until I fall asleep?” She asked as he climbed in next to her and lay on top of the blankets. His skin was so cold that she needed the blankets between them at night.

“Of course. I wouldn't dream of doing anything else.” They smiled at each other and kept chatting until Grace dozed off. Jasper stayed with her the whole night thinking about the day's events and what would happen next.

Very early in the morning, before the sun had risen, Jasper heard Carlisle calling him from downstairs. Grace couldn't hear and was still asleep, so he carefully got out of bed and headed downstairs. As much as he knew he needed this day, he was dreading it and fully prepared to fight not to go.

He could feel the sympathy radiating from his family as he walked down the stairs.

“Don't make me go.” He said as he entered the kitchen where they all were waiting.

“Jasper” Carlisle came in as the voice of reason. “You have to. You need this”

“No I'm fine. What I need is to be with her. I need to protect her. You all know how that feels.” He balled his fists because he could feel that this wasn't going to go his way.

“Jasper, honey, we will be with her constantly. Nothing is going to even come close to happening with Alice and Rosalie and I.” Esme chimed in in her remarkably soothing voice. Alice chirped in next.

“And if I see anything, if anyone makes a decision, I will know before they have a chance to plan. And you will know and be back here in no time at all. She is safe.”

“Jasper if you are going to be at your best, you need to feed. If you want to protect her, you need to be 100% focused.” Carlisle knew how to appeal to Jasper in this emotional state. Jasper nodded.

“Okay. But can we please make this quick?” He couldn't help but dwell on the pain he knew he would feel being away from her.

The men all nodded and Jasper excused himself to say goodbye to Grace. When he got back to her room, he couldn't bear to wake her, so he kissed her cheek and left a note. “I will be back before you know it.” He whispered to her and silently exited.


	2. Green is the New Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice, Esme, and Rosalie try to keep Grace busy while Jasper and the guys go out to hunt.
> 
> Rosalie suggests a makeover because of course she does!

Grace plopped down onto the white sofa in the living room facing the piano and sighed as she kicked off her flats. It had been a long day of shopping and she was exhausted. Her bags as well as all of Alice's, Esme's, and Rosalie's lay haphazardly across the floor. Rosalie and Alice were chatting as Esme walked in with a glass of lemonade that she handed to Grace. Grace sipped it for a few moments and surveyed the damage. 

She estimated that it would take about four years to pay back everything they bought her. She refused at every turn, but it was as if Alice purchased anything that Grace’s eye had lingered on for more than half a second. She didn’t even think she could come up with reasons to wear all of this stuff.

“Thanks for taking me out today you guys. I had a lot of fun.”

“Of course dear.” Esme replied. “You are a part of this family and we want you to feel welcome and taken care of.”

“I really do, thank you.” Grace answered. She stood to help when Esme and Rosalie gathered all of the bags to bring upstairs, but they told her not to worry and disappeared with all of her things. Alice stayed, but there was a silence that Grace found it unusually hard to sit in.

“Do you know when they'll be back?” She asked without looking over to her psychic friend.

“Some time later in the night unfortunately.” Alice answered. She watched Grace glance over to a clock perched above the large TV in the room. “But hey! Girls’ Night is not over! Rosalie suggested that we do makeovers next! Perfect timing to play in some of the clothes you guy and then maybe you and Jasper can go on a cute little midnight date when he gets back?”

Grace perked up a little and nodded. She was led to Rosalie and Emmett’s room and into a closet the size of another room, seemingly dedicated to Rosalie.

“Holy wow.” Was all Grace managed to say.

“It’s a little extravagant, but It’s very me don’t you think?” Rosalie smirked and took Grace by the hand, leading her further into the closet and sitting her in front of a large vanity with large light bulbs lining the frame of the mirror. There was a department store’s worth of makeup sitting on the counter and Grace found herself feeling a little overwhelmed.

“I-I don’t wear a ton of makeup-” She started but was interrupted by Rosalie.

“Trust me, I know. Eyeliner, mascara, and a subtle highlight is your thing, but this,” She gestured dramatically towards all of the products on the counter. “Is what makeovers are all about! So sit back and close your eyes. I will be taking care of things now.” Rosalie turned Grace’s chair away from the mirror and got to work when her eyes finally closed.  
“I’m gonna work on your hair.” Alice said from somewhere behind Grace.

“And I will be painting your nails.” Esme offered. “So just sit back and relax my dear.”

Grace admitted that the experience was nice. She felt pampered as the fluff of soft-haired brushes glided across her face and her hair and nails were painted. The other women chatted quietly in the background until they were finished. Rosalie was last to finish, but when she was, she didn’t turn Grace’s chair around.

“You look fabulous!” Alice exclaimed, clapping and practically hopping around.

“Now let’s get her dressed huh? Alice, I think the green one will work?” Rosalie pulled Grace up out of the chair.

“Oooh Jazz’s favorite color. Good idea!” Alice zipped out of the closet, followed behind by Grace, Rosalie, and Esme and human paced. She returned in seconds with a very small dark green bandage dress on a very luxurious looking hanger. 

“You want me to wear that? I don’t even remember seeing that while we were out today” Grace was growing anxious very quickly. The dress looked like a size two and would never fit onto her size twelve to fourteen body. She could just see all of her bits bulging and spilling out of that thing and she could have died of embarrassment just from the thought. “I-it’s not gonna fit.” She tried to explain.

“Oh don’t worry.” Rosalie responded. “There’s shapewear to put underneath and the dress is your size. So, go put it on.”

Grace didn’t argue. It wasn’t in her character to, so she let her friends, minus Esme who disappeared downstairs without explanation, strip her down to underwear, squeeze her into shapewear, and zip the dress up in the back. They helped her into strappy black heels and touched up her hair and makeup before finally leading her to a mirror to have a look at herself.

“Oooh you are hot hot hot!” Alice chirped. “How do you feel?”

Grace looked at herself in the mirror. The dress actually seemed to fit, no lumps or bumps. There was a fair v-neck cut to the top of the dress that displayed her decolletage in a flattering way and spread out into a thick, off the shoulder strap. The dress hugged right at the knee and showed the shine of her legs, and the deep green color looked gorgeous against her golden brown skin tone. The curl pattern of her hair was well defined and shiny. She had more makeup on than she had ever worn in her life, but the foundation matched her skin perfectly, and she had a lot more definition in her face.

The first thing Grace wanted to say was that she felt constricted. The shapewear put pressure on her chest and diaphragm and ability to inhale a full breath. And while the ensemble looked nice, she was uncomfortable with this amount of glamour. But instead, she accepted the earrings and necklace she was handed and smiled.

“Thanks for doing this guys. It’s fun to try new things.” She said quietly.

“You’re welcome.” Rosalie replied. “Clearly I need to make a career out of this.” She sighed to herself. 

“Rosalie, you are the most.” Alice responded and rolled her eyes She turned to Grace with a smile. “Now, we left one more gift in your room for you, so go check it out, okay?”

Confusion flashed across Grace’s face for a moment, but she nodded instead of saying anything about it.

“Thanks again. For everything.” She said before heading towards her room.


	3. Dancing in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice, Rosalie, and Esme set Grace up. Honestly though? She's not complaining.

Grace entered her room and stopped in her tracks just inside the doorway. Jasper was standing across the room looking out the wall of windows. His hands were crossed behind his back like a man of the military. 

And he was dressed incredibly well. He always was. But tonight, he donned a black suit, tailored beautifully and of stunning contrast to his pale skin and honey blonde hair. He looked amazing, and he hadn’t even turned around yet.

Grace suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious. She felt like an imposter in fancy clothes and makeup. Jasper would see right through it and drop her like a hot potato. He would see how big she actually was when she wasn’t hiding behind flowy fabric and dark colors. He would see that she wasn’t capable of pulling off the look of proper lady. She took a shaky step backwards to leave the room.

And then he turned around. 

Jasper turned around and gave Grace a brilliant smile. “Wow…”

Grace looked up at his face in confusion as he crossed the room to be close to her.

“Grace, you look…” He took her hands in his. “Beautiful doesn’t even begin to describe the way you look tonight...so I’m left with just...wow.”

Grace could feel her cheeks heating up, though she wasn’t sure that her blush could even be seen under the layers of makeup. “You look very nice as well.” She responded and gave a small smile. Jasper raised the back of her right hand to his lips, and she blushed ever harder.

“I think my family set-up a little date for us if you would like to join me?” He took a step back and bowed at the waist.

Grace agreed, attempted a curtsy, felt dumb about it, and laughed it out. Work in progress. 

They walked downstairs, Jasper helping his date down as needed, and walked into a transformed living room. There were string lights hanging everywhere, and all of the furniture had been moved and replaced with a simple square table with a white tablecloth and candles and purple hydrangeas in the center.

Edward was playing soft piano music from somewhere in the shadows, but no one else was around.

Jasper pulled her chair out and was in his own seat in a flash. There was a plated dessert in front of Grace’s spot, but nothing for Jasper as was to be expected. Grace had gotten used to eating alone, so she enjoyed her dessert and started to relax a little while they chatted quietly. They laughed and smiled, and Jasper never stopped voicing how beautiful he thought Grace was, each time sending another flutter through her chest. 

The music seemed to change just as there was a lull in the conversation, so Jasper pulled Grace up into his arms and they swayed to the new piece. Any other time, Grace would have been mesmerized by Edward’s talent. She had sat and chatted with him on more than one occasion. They were even working on a piece where Edward would play and Grace would sing. But tonight, nothing could pull her attention from Jasper.

Nothing except her dad’s ringtone echoing through the house just as the couple was leaning in to share a kiss. Jasper disappeared and returned the phone before Grace could even sigh in disappointed. Jasper handed her the phone and kissed her hair as she answered.

“Hey dad.” She hid the disappointment in her voice quite well.

“Gracelet it is almost midnight and you have school tomorrow.” Her father sounded stern and I haven’t seen or heard from you since Friday afternoon. You didn’t even call to tell me about this sleepover. That Alice girl did. Now, I advise you to ask her to take you home right now. I expect you home before the hour is up. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Grace hung up the phone. “I gotta go.” She said and stared down at the floor.

“I know, darlin’, but I’ll be right behind you, and anyways, there’s still time for this.” Jasper hooked a finger under Grace’s chin and lifted her face. Their eyes met for a moment, golden honey to chocolate brown, before he leaned in, planting his soft, cool lips on hers like he was planning before the phone rang.

“Come on come on! You don’t want to be grounded forever!” Alice urged and pulled Grace away from Jasper and to the garage. She climbed in awkwardly because of the dress and heels, buckled up, and relaxed back in her seat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Thanks for everything Alice. Tonight was really nice.” Grace said as they pulled into her driveway.

“You’re welcome! See you in 3rd period?”

“Definitely.” Grace climbed out of the car and waved Alice off before using her key to enter her house.

Her dad was waiting in the living room in his blue armchair with crossed arms and a stern look on his face. 

“What in God’s name have you been up to all weekend where you couldn’t make a phone call?” He stood up and walked towards her.

“Sorry dad. I guess I got caught up in everything with Alice. She has a lot of energy. It won’t happen again, I promise.”

“You’re damn right it won’t. You know the rules. Break ‘em and you lose the privileges that you’re so quick to tote around. Now, did you finish your homework?”

“Yes, sir.” She looked down at the floor.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you, girl. You’re not in trouble this time. This is just to keep you in check and remind you of the rules of this house, you understand me?”

She looked up at him when she responded. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. Now go on upstairs and get to sleep. I don’t wanna hear any complaining about being tired tomorrow for school.” Grace nodded and started towards the stairs.

“And what’s with the dress?” Her dad asked as he sat back down in his chair.

“Oh um, Alice’s parents took us all to a nice restaurant for dinner. Some place out in Port Angeles.”

Her father grunted. “Well goodnight, Gracelet.”

“Goodnight, dad.”

Grace breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door to her bedroom. She escaped that one pretty unscathed and her dad didn’t pry too much. She pulled off the high heels and tossed them in a corner before heading into her bathroom to struggle out of the dress and shapewear that left angry red marks on her skin when the fabric and wiring squeezed a little too tight. She watched at her actually body reappeared in the mirror, and the sight made her grimace. Instead of dwelling on it though, she pulled on her usual over-sized sweats and took the ten minutes to scrub the layers of makeup off of her face.

When she was satisfied with her handy work and her skin was properly moisturized, she tied a scarf around her hair and headed walked back into her room. She finally let the exhaustion of little sleep over the past weekend catch up to her. She never slept well when he wasn’t close.

But now, Jasper was sitting on her bed, book in hand and in his usual jeans and simple grey shirt. He looked up at Grace when she entered and flashed his fangs in a gorgeous grin. She moved to his side quickly, climbing under her blankets and scooting as close as she could to him. His loving response was to wrap his arms around her and kiss the top of her head.

“What did your father say?” He probed.

“Eh sleep now. Talk tomorrow.” Grace responded to which Jasper gave a warm chuckle.

“Alright darlin’. Sleep tight.”

“Mhmm.”

She was asleep in minutes in the arms and dreams of her southern man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know where this story is going lolololololol oh well. I'll keep writing because I have lots of ideas floating around in here.
> 
> Hope you like it :)


	4. Let Me Take Care of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace has a migraine, but Jasper is by her side to nurse her back to health.
> 
> This chapter is just something I thought up after dealing with a two day migraine from medication withdrawal this past week. Don't forget to take your meds my friends!

Grace awoke to the cold, soft lips of Jasper Hale pressing down on her forehead between the brows. Unfortunately, the sweet gesture was almost immediately ruined by the excruciating pain in her head and behind her left eye. She whimpered and curled in on herself, dragging the blanket over her head.

“What’s wrong darlin’?” Jasper asked quietly. “You were frownin’ so deep in your sleep that I thought you were havin’ a bad dream.”

Grace was grateful for his hushed voice as anything louder would aggravate the pain. When she didn’t respond for a bit, Jasper came to his own conclusions.

“Is it a headache?”  
Grace thought to herself, could be, but the chemical smell in her nose and the intense waves of nausea rolling through her stomach told her otherwise.

“Migraine.” She whispered. “Bad one.”

“Tell me how to help.” He climbed under the blankets in the dark with her and placed a cold hand across her forehead. The relief and distraction was enough for Grace to coherently talk and give instructions.

“I take sumatriptan for this kind. They are behind the mirror in my bathroom. Just one.”

Jasper kissed her shoulder and got up. When he returned, Grace gave a deep sigh and forced herself to sit up in bed. Jasper could see the discomfort etched onto her face.

“Close the curtains please?” She whispered. “The light makes it worse.”

Jasper made quick work of closing the curtains and turned in time to see Grace’s shoulders sag in relief. She had had headaches before, but this one seemed worse than usual, and he was worried. He removed a pill from the bottle and placed it in Grace’s hand. She still hadn’t opened her eyes. He lifted her empty hand and placed a glass of water in it. 

“I’m going to run down to the kitchen to grab that mask from last time. I’ll be right back.” 

Grace’s dad, retired Major General Daniel White of the United States Marines, left for work at 5 am every morning, so he was free to walk through the house without fear of getting caught. On his way to the kitchen, he called his dad. As he chatted with Carlise about Grace’s condition, he made toast and grabbed the mask she had used before. It had small beads that held the cold in and provided pressure around the eyes while also blocking the light and it had provided Grace with relief in the past.

Jasper hung up with Jasper after being reassured that his beloved would be okay, and gathered the toast and mask to bring to her. When he entered the dark room though, all of his worries came back. Grace had sinken back down into a lying position. Her hands were empty. He saw the glass on her side table. He imagined she had taken the pill. But what concerned him about the scene in front of him was the sight of tears tracks staining her cheeks. How he wished to be Edward in moments like these to be able to read her mind. 

“Grace we have to calm you down. The crying will only make the pain worse.” He placed the toast and mask on the side table next to the water and ran his thumb across her cheeks to clear the tears. “I’m so sorry darlin’. I wish I could take this pain away.”

Grace scrunched her brows and reached a hand out to touch Jasper’s face. She still couldn’t open her eyes. She felt helpless and the pain in her head was making her dizzy and nauseous. The meds would take time to alleviate the pain, but she just wanted to take the worry away from Jasper. So she touched his face. Before he’d mentioned, she hadn’t even realized she’d been crying. 

Jasper placed his hand on top of hers and turned his head to kiss her palm.

“My dad says that you should eat with the sumatriptan, so I brought you so toast. Will you try to eat some?”

Grace whined. 

“I don’t think I could keep it down. The water was hard enough.” She whispered.

“Please try? The side effects could be much worse on an empty stomach darlin’.”

When she finally agreed, Jasper helped her sit up again. Before handing her the toast, he brushed the messy spiral curls off of her forehead and eased the mask onto her face. Grace sighed as the cool beads pressed down on the pain. 

“I’m sorry about all of this.” Grace said, but she was hushed before she could say more. She could feel herself getting emotional, but was calm before she could lose control, something Jasper rarely did, but something she was thankful for in moments like these.

“No need, darlin’.” He brushed those beautiful cold lips across hers in a chaste kiss and remained close. “Let me take care of you.” 

Grace nodded. She was in no place to refuse on account of strong independence. She needed him now more than usual.

Jasper remained by her side the entire day. They both missed school but were entirely unconcerned with the fact. Jasper disappeared into the bathroom when Mr. White came home from work with questions about the phone call he received from her school only to be placated by the obvious signs of her being too sick to function.

And when Jasper returned, he continued to convince her to eat and drink in tiny increments between sleep. Eventually, around six in the evening, Grace was nursed enough to function, so they talked quietly into the late of night, and by the next day, they were both back to school.

All thanks to the care of one Jasper Whitlock.


	5. Dinner at the White House

Grace grabbed her backpack from the couch and a banana off the counter to eat on the way. It was 7:25 and Jasper was perfectly on time, as usual. He did only have to run down the street and retrieve his car to keep up the charade since he stayed every night while she slept. Grace still wasn't ready for her father to give Jasper the third degree though, so everyday, she made the effort to leave before her father could reach the front door. As she rounded the corner leaving the kitchen, she stopped dead in her tracks. She could hear her father's stern authoritative  voice carrying through the living room. And then she heard Jasper's smooth tone and southern drawl in response.

“So you are the young man who has been taking up so much of my Gracelet's time. She’s rarely ever here anymore.” Daniel White surmised, crossing his arms in front of him.

“My apologies sir.” Jasper answered coolly. “I meant no disrespect for spending time with Grace. She is lovely and I have found myself smitten with her.” Grace's stomach fluttered at the warmth in his tone and the instant charm in his voice.

“Smitten huh? You are an old soul I see. Or so you appear to be. Now listen here-” He started. That was Grace's cue to walk in and interrupt this conversation before her father got all protective and started with the subtle threats.

“Dad we are gonna be late for school if we don't go.” She said as she walked past him and out the door.

“Well fine, but Jasper is coming to dinner tonight. 6 o'clock sharp. It's about time we sat down and had a talk.” Grace could tell by her father's voice that there was no room for negotiation on this.

“Thank you sir for the invite. Dinner sounds fantastic.” Grace tugged him towards the car as he talked. “Have a nice day, Mr. White.” He said and nodded in the older man's direction. He turned to open Grace's door and closed in when she was securely in before running over to his side to get in. Once in the car himself. He put on his seatbelt, turned the car on, and pulled out of the driveway. He smiled as Grace put her hands over her face.

“What's wrong...Gracelet?” He asked and kissed her hand with a chuckle as she groaned.

“He saw that whole exchange with the car and you are so gonna get the third degree at dinner tonight. So embarrassing...and that nickname! You are never allowed to call me that.” She said and pointed a not-so-threatening finger at Jasper.

“Oh come on. It won't be that bad. Like you said, I'm charming and smooth. Maybe he'll even like me by the end of the night.”

“Pfft. Yeah right. We'll be lucky if I'm ever allowed to see you again.” Grace grumbled, but hearing Jasper laugh was enough to lighten her mood and she was back to her usual level of content by the time they pulled into the school's parking lot.

Jasper parked next to Emmett's Jeep and was around in a flash to open Grace's door. He took her hand and they headed into the building together.

The day went on as usual besides Grace's constant worry about this dinner. Jasper chatted animatedly about the encounter from this morning and the actual dinner. Grace was confused by why he was so excited for it, but she couldn't focus on that much. All she could think was  _ ohmigod this is gonna be a disaster. _

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Now what are your intentions with my girl?” Mr. White asked with skepticism. Dinner had just gotten underway. Grace sat at the small kitchen table with her father on one side of her and Jasper on the other. The two men were directly facing each other, and Mr. White was stare hard and unwaveringly at Jasper.

Jasper met the gaze with an incredibly amount of calm that was the exact opposite of what Grace was feeling. He took a sip of water before replying. “Well, Mr. White, I am very fond of Grace. She is the epitome of her name with the level of poise she carries herself with. I intend to treat her with the utmost respect and shower her with all of the love I can give. We both recognize that she deserves the absolute best and I intend to give her that.” Jasper could practically feel the blush rise to Grace’s cheeks and he gave her a warm smile.

Daniel squinted his eyes in suspicion and spooned another bite of spaghetti into his mouth. “You haven’t touched your food, son.” He has as he motioned a hand commanding Jasper to eat.

Grace winced slightly and mouthed an apology to Jasper as the vampire downed a couple of bites. “My apologies, sir.” He began. “I’ve been feeling a little under the weather, so my appetite is quite low. The food is delicious though. Thank you again for inviting me to dinner.” Jasper was so smooth and he was handling this evening effortlessly.

Daniel gruffed and continued to eat. Conversation carried on in a similar fashion. Dan would ask a question. Jasper would answer it perfectly. Dan would gruff.

As soon as Grace was finished with her dinner, she started to clear the plates. “Well dad, we have a movie to catch, so we need to get going.” She said hurriedly as she took her father’s plate. She loading everything into the dishwasher and turned it on.

“Don’t be in such a rush to leave your old man.” Mr. said as he followed his daughter and her boyfriend into the living room and to the front door. Grace stopped for a moment. She turned to give her father, and he held on tight. When she pulled back, she smiled up at him.

“I’m not going anywhere dad. I promise. I’ll be home by 11, okay?”

“Make it ten-thirty.” She knew that he wasn’t entirely serious by the warmth in his tone.

“Thank you again for having me for dinner Mr. White.” Jasper flashed his bright white teeth being careful to denounce the fangs, and Mr. White gave him a brisk nod.

“You take care of her you hear me? Ten-thirty sharp.”

“Yes sir.” That charming southern drawl shone through again and they shook hands before Grace ushered Jasper out the front door. Her dad watched them pull out of the driveway, but once they were off down the street, Grace leaned her forehead against the dashboard and sighed. She turned her head and mustered a look of annoyance when she heard Jasper chuckle.

“I think that went pretty well, don’t you?” He asked and flashed those pearly white fangs.

“I’ve been holding my breath all night.” Grace sat back in her seat and stared out at the blur of lights passing by. They must have been going 80 mph on the open roads of this small town, but she had gotten used to it. Jasper’s lightning fast reflexes kept them perfectly safe in the car. She was so in love. And her stomach fluttered every time she thought about the fact that he at least liked her in return. Grace glanced over at Jasper, smiling mostly to herself. He met her eye and flashed that stunning smile once more, but Grace’s attention was pulled to a blinding light behind his head and then everything went black.


	6. Who Cares if the Blood is Fresh?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James is hungry for blood and suffering. Grace and Jasper are his targets. Grace wakes up after the crash and deals with this horrible situation.

Grace struggled to open her eyes the tiniest bit, and when she did, she immediately squeezed them back shut to block out the intense bright lights above her. The cotton muffle in her ears started to clear out just to be replaced by the assault of steady beeping and low, angry chatter.

“Absolutely not, Doctor. He almost got my girl killed.”

The voice was that of her father and he was talking about Jasper. She had to say something.

“W-”

“And if you think in your mind that I would even consider-”

“Hey-”

“Letting him step foot anywhere near her-”

“Dad!”

Chief White turned to his bedridden daughter when he heard her voice. He walked up to her bedside. 

“Everything is gonna be fine Gracelet. You’re pretty banged up, but you’ll get through this.”

“What happened?” She mumbled and opened her eyes to try and adjust to the light.

Dr. Cullen responded before her father could.

“You were hit and run off the road by another vehicle. You have multiple bruises and abrasions, a broken leg, and a large gash on the left side of your torso.”

Grace couldn’t respond. She was at a loss for words and her throat was bone dry and scratchy.

“I’ll be back shortly with water. Is there anything else you need at the moment?” Carlisle asked in a professional yet knowing tone.

“J-Jasper please.” Grace rasped. “Where is he? Is he okay?”

“No Grace.” She shifted her eyes to her father. “Now I’ve already said-”

Carlisle interrupted, unusual for his normal politeness.

“Mr. White. Jasper just wants to know that she is okay, and since he isn’t a blood relative, I cannot legally give him any information.

“Good. I told you to stay out of my decision-making, doc. She’s my daughter. What I say goes.”

“Dad...please.” Grace could feel her eyes welling up at the reality of not being able to see Jasper, and her father could too. After a long, silent pause, he released a heavy sigh.

“Fine. You have until I come back with this water.” 

Grace gave a small nod and reached a weak hand out toward her father. She watched his face soften as he approached her and took her hand in his. She squeezed it gave him a small smile. 

“Thank you for this.”

Her father nodded and blinked back the moisture in his own eyes. He kissed the back of her hand and then her temple for leaving the room followed closely behind by Dr. Cullen.

Jasper was in the room and by Grace’s side within 10 seconds of her father’s exit. She looked him over as he approached. Wild hair. Dark eyes. But not a single scratch on him. 

All Grace could feel was relief, but she could see the pain and guilt swirling in his eyes. She knew he would be crying if his vampire body could produce tears. She was overwhelmed with the need to say something, but all that came out was, “I’m sorry about my dad.”

Jasper looked up from the floor with an expression of incredulity and confusion.

“He worries. He’s probably super mad. But he doesn’t understand. He doesn’t want me to grow up and love is a pretty grown up thing in his eyes-”

Jasper cut her off with an immensely strained tone. 

“I can’t stay for long. Your blood scent is everywhere in here and my level of control is wavering...I just needed to see you.”

Her body tensed as he spoke. She understood what he was saying and what his body was going through, but she was selfish and wanted him to stay. She wanted him close. She needed his comfort.

“Jasper please don’t leave. I trust you-” She reached for his hand, but he recoiled from her touch with a look of almost disgust. Grace couldn’t quite place it.

“I’m going with Emmett to feed right after I leave you, but we’re staying close. I’ll be back in a few hours. Carlisle might be able to convince your dad to let Alice in until then.” His words were clipped and cold. 

Grace realized that he was trying to function under the pressure of his own emotions plus hers, so she nodded and wiped the fresh tears spilling from her eyes.

“I promise I’ll be back in just a few hours, Grace. I love you.”

“I love you too.” She responded meekly as she watched Jasper leave only to be greeted by her father returning with the water he promised.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Grace remained in the hospital for five days until she was cleared to have no lasting damage to her head. Her father almost never left her side. He slept on a cot next to her bed and only left for short periods of time to get food or use the bathroom. It was exhausting to have him hover so much, and their conversations were generally short and strained. You’re never seeing that boy again and You can’t keep me from him, dad. Her only contact with any Cullen besides Carlise had been through text messages that she lied about frequently. It’s just Alisa from school, dad. She wants to know how I’m feeling.

After four days, Mr. White was called in on a work emergency and finally left after a few not-so-subtle threats to Dr. Cullen. Grace visibly relaxed for the first time in days as he left and the entire Cullen family entered the room Jasper rushed in first and sat next to her and placed a hand on her knee atop the scratchy hospital sheets. His eyes were bright from the recent feed and he looked a lot less distraught. 

“So what happened?” She asked as she pushed herself to sit up in bed, ignoring the aches and pains as best as she could. The warmth in Jasper’s expression faltered for a moment as he watched his beloved struggle, but he found composure again as she settled.

Esme offered to explain the situation probably due to her exceptionally calm and reassuring nature, but Grace interrupted her as she made sense of it all.

“James crashed into us?...But I thought...Why would he risk killing me if…” Grace was entirely confused.

“He knew that I would protect you at all costs.” Jasper offered and took her hand in his.

“Or he didn’t care if he got you dead or alive. This probably has a lot more to do with causing Jasper immeasurable pain than anything else, and blood tastes the same for several hours after death if it’s kept warm- Hey!” Emmett shouted as Rosalie stomped her stiletto into the front of his sneaker. The glare he received from his wife was deadly and he mumbled out a sheepish apology to Grace as a result.

“It’s okay Emmett. I appreciate your honest.” Grace’s response was quiet, and she avoided eye contact. “So...what do we do now? I could have died-” She paused when she noticed Jasper visibly tense. “What I mean is that last week was bad...and James is still out there.”

“We do have a temporary solution.” Alice chimed in.

“24 hour surveillance. Done in shifts until we find James and handle him.” Carlisle explained to which Grace’s face began to contort in opposition. Before she could actually say anything though, Edward cut her off. Damn mind-reading abilities.

“We are doing this because we want to Grace. We all had the opportunity to decline, and no one did. It’s not just Jasper who cares about you. We all do.” Even Rosalie nodded at Edward’s explanation. 

Grace nodded and blinked away the water in her eyes. She believed them. That they cared about her. That their love for her was a logical and unequivocal extension of their love for Jasper. But this display was overwhelming, and she couldn’t help feeling like a burden. 

“Thank you all so much.” She muttered meekly. “I’m sorry you have to go through all of this.”

Emmett smirked. “I’ll gladly rip him to pieces for you Grace. I’ve got a pretty unique way of persuading people to do as I say, if you know what I mean.” Rosalie rolled her eyes. 

“Emmett, don’t be such a brute.”

Grace was quiet for a while, choosing to focus on Jasper’s touch instead of the impending sense of doom settled in her stomach. Something else was pressing on her mind though.

“Did one of you orchestrate that ‘work emergency’ that my dad had to leave for?”

Carlise was the one to smile in response to her question.

“I called in a favor. He’ll be back to take you home later this evening though.”

“Speaking of Daniel,” Esme spoke. “For the time being, just to placate your father, you will sleep at home every night.” Esme explained. “We will all take turns guarding the outside of your house.” 

Grace started to speak, but was cut off again as was on trend for the evening. 

“Jasper will come every evening as usual and stay in your room.” Esme said, knowing what Grace wanted to say and succeeding in getting her to relax. She wasn’t happy with this solution, but she was grateful and confident that Jasper and his family would keep her safe. At least she hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters today! Both follow the main storyline I'm trying to work out. Hope you like!


	7. Part of the Healing Process

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace is finally released from the hospital and Jasper is there to take care of her. Grace never realized how awkward that could be.

Grace was finally home. Her dad had helped her up the stairs and to her room, no easy feat with a broken leg and exceptionally bruised ribs. He awkwardly asked if she needed help changing into pajamas, but she shook her head, red seeping into her cheeks at the embarrassing thought.

"I can manage on my own. Thanks, dad." Grace answered as he helped her sit on her bed in the dim light of her room.

“I changed your diapers you know." Dan responded not realizing how much more awkward that statement made Grace feel about this whole thing. When she didn't respond past the grimace on her face, Dan decided to wrap things up.

"Anyways, holler if you need anything okay?” His daughter nodded and waved him off as he kissed her hair and left the room, closing the door upon her request.

Not even a minute later saw Jasper climbing through her open window. Grace sighed in relief and winced at the pain that came from such a long exhale deep in her abdomen.

Jasper stood in front of her, poised to move at her request for anything.

She sighed again. 

“I need to change into pajamas. These hospital sweats make me wanna vomit.” She looked up at him. “I have pajama pants in the bottom drawer behind you, and tank tops in the second drawer from the top.”

Jasper nodded and walked over to the drawers to grab what she asked for. Purple was his color of choice for her garments and she smiled because he remembered her favorite color so easily in the hopes of making her feel even the slightest bit more comfortable. This particular set was also covered in dancing bananas, another reason to smile.

As he returned, Grace reached for the bottom rim of the sweatshirt she was wearing. She grabbed at the hem and moved to lift the fabric over her head when she was struck with a sharp ache in her abdomen. She gasped and lowered her hands.

“Let me help.” Jasper muttered and reached out towards her shirt. Grace blushed deep red and tightened her grip on the sweater making Jasper stop in his tracks, hand frozen above her knee.

“The doctors…” She muttered, avoiding his gaze. “Cut off my bra to fix me...so there’s nothing underneath this.” She twisted the hem in her hands and chanced a glance up at Jasper’s face to see a subtle hint of embarrassment in his brow.

“Oh.” He cleared his throat. “Would you like me to call Alice? Rosalie? Maybe my mom? Or you could call your dad-”

“No!” She explained as her blush deepened in color and spread to her neck. “N-no it’s okay. You can help me.”

“Okay, but let me know if you change your mind.” He gave a charming smile, and Grace moved her hands, slowly raising them above her head. She grit her teeth at the pain, but closed her eyes and focused more on the embarrassment of the whole situation.

She felt the fabric of the sweatshirt move before she felt the brush of his fingertips as he began to lift it. She could feel her breathing speed up as more of her skin was revealed. She didn’t dare open her eyes as the sweatshirt lifted above her breasts and over her head, but her blush managed to deepen even more as the cold air hardened her nipples. She tilted her head down in a meager attempt to hide her face, but the silence carried and the purple tank top Jasper picked out for her did not find itself on her body. 

When Grace finally opened her eyes, she was not met with Jasper’s gaze. Instead, he was staring at a lower point on her body. Not her breasts, but the dark discoloration of bruising and lacerations covering her ribs and stomach. She looked from her body to his face again and the expression there was one of pure anguish. If vampires could cry, she was sure she would have seen tear tracks down his porcelain cheeks, a thought that she had had about him several times since the crash.

“Jasper.” She whispered, trying to comfort him. He met her gaze and shook his head.

“I’m so sorry.” He muttered for the thousandth time in the past week. “I never saw the true damage. Just translucent x-rays.”

“This is just part of the healing process. I’m okay remember?” She assured him, but she gasped when he applied a feather-like, cool touch to a bruise on her left side.

“I’m going to destroy him.” Jasper pulled his hand from her skin and clenched it into a tight fist. “And I will never fail to protect you again.” It was a vow, and though she never thought he failed to do anything, she trusted his words and nodded. The goosebumps on her skin and the shiver that produced a pained groan from her throat, snapped Jasper out of his thoughts, and he helped her into the tank top and pajamas pants with patience and care.

“At least the bruises distract you from all of the fat.” Grace muttered as a way to break the tension, but Jasper stole her breath with an intense gaze.

“You are beautiful. Every part of you. Don’t ever talk about yourself that way.”

“I-I…” Grace was stunned.

“Your body...I’m a gentlemen, and if you knew the things I thought about. Us together intimately. What I would want to do to you. With you. Every inch of you…” 

Grace was blushing deeper than she ever had before.

“Do you know that I come from a time where your kind of body, one with womanly curves, full, plump breasts, a soft stomach, was the most desirable body? Men wanted a woman who was healthy and able to bear his children. Regardless of what today’s body and beauty standards portray, you are the most beautiful and sexy woman I have ever met.”

Grace bit her lip subconsciously, and Jasper took that opportunity to lean in and kiss her. Her eyes fluttered closed at the feel of his soft, cool lips.

“Now,” He said as he pulled back. “You need to get some sleep if you’re gonna get better.”

“Okay.” Grace whispered and nodded, eyes still closed from the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this chapter is a lot shorter. I wrote this a while ago but had to fill in a few blanks before. Is it awkward and sweet enough? I dunno. What do you think?


	8. Civil Wars and Bubble Baths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace is black and Jasper fought for the Confederates in the Civil War...that's awkward...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's an awkward little chapter for an idea that has been pestering me for MONTHS. Sorry for all of it.

“Jasper?” Grace shifted slightly, no easy task in a bathtub with a leg in a cast. Jasper had been insisting that his girlfriend participate in every relaxation technique he could find, so tonight, she was in a bathtub full of bubbles and eucalyptus scented essential oils. He even added baby oil and milk to the water. It’s supposed to be really good for your skin, and I know how important moisturizing is for you, he had said in response to Grace’s questioning eyebrows.

He stopped reading and looked up at her with those striking amber eyes, a result of three days passing since his last feed. Grace immediately felt bad for having gotten so distracted by her own thoughts that she interrupted him in the middle of his sentence, but his smile was so genuine and sweet that she knew he wasn’t upset.

Of course, her stomach was still churning with the stress of a question she had wanted to ask for several months now. She never knew how to bring it up, but she couldn’t just left it go. Instead, she sat in silence, struggling to make the words come out.

“Grace are you okay? Do you need something?” Concern was washing over him quickly.

Grace sighed. “I...have a question that I’ve wanted to ask for a long time...I just don’t know how. Or if I can…” She stared at the bubbles in front of her and tapped on the porcelain of the tub rhythmically, something she usually did when her anxiety spiked.

“Darlin’ you can ask me anything and everything. Please don’t be afraid.” He took her drumming hand, all pruney from the water, and gave it a soft squeeze. He put the book in his other hand down. “What is it?”

“...why did you fight for the Confederacy?”

Jasper felt his heart and stomach drop. This was definitely not a question he had been expecting.

“...Why do you ask, darlin’?” Was his response.

“Well I am black…” Grace didn’t know how to voice the rest of what she was thinking, so she didn’t. Silence loomed between them for a while.

“Have I said something offensive?”

“No...I’m just curious, trust me Jasper-” Grace was interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door. She looked at Jasper with wide eyes and mouthed, Why is my dad here??? Jasper shrugged and disappeared from the bathroom.

It took a minute for Grace to pull herself together, her dad calling her name did the trick.

“U-uh hey dad!” She shouted hoping her voice would carry through the open bathroom door and out to her dad. She heard her bedroom door open. “I’m in the bathtub!” She did her best to sink under the water a little more to cover her chest. She saw her dad’s back come into view. He spoke facing away from her as any awkward but respectful dad would.

“How the hell did you get yourself into the bathtub with that bum leg?” 

“That’s what crutches are for dad. And I wanted to relax. What are you doing home already?”

“What do you mean already? I’m late. It’s 6:30.” He crossed his arms while Grace laughed nervously, responding with an oh.

“Well in any event, I ordered chinese for dinner tonight. Want me to fix you a plate?”

“Yeah actually. That would be great...thanks dad. I’ll be in PJs by the time it gets here.” Her tone was softer now, so her father gruffed and left.

Grace let out a huge sigh as Jasper walked back into the room. He grabbed a towel and helped her out of the tub. The towel was warm and fluffy wrapped around her body, and she was distracted for a few minutes while she dried, moisturized, and dressed in pajamas.

Despite having seen Grace’s upper body in the nude and her having become somewhat comfortable with that, Jasper stood by the window, looking out at the empty street to give her privacy as he had been doing since she was able to dress herself. When he heard the rustling of movement and clothing stop, he turned back to Grace who was sitting on the edge of her bed looking at her crutches. He walked over at sat next to her. She did not turn to look at him.

Jasper figured her thoughts had travelled back to their original discussion. He could feel the tension in her body and the anxiety rolling off of her.

“Grace…” He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. When she still didn’t turn to him, he decided that explaining it all was his only option. He just hoped she would understand and still love him afterwards.

“I joined the military at seventeen. At the time, I had no direction in life. I didn’t know what to do with myself or even how to figure it out. The military gave me purpose. And once in, I rose through the ranks quickly. My human family was too poor to own slaves, and when I joined the military, I honestly did not know what we were all fighting for. I just kept hearing about states rights. Truthfully, I didn’t care what the fight was for because I meant something at that point.”

Jasper, having received no response from Grace yet, knelt in front of her to catch her eye.

“Grace, I promise you. I’ve never held any ill will towards any person of color because of their skin. Being a part of an organization that fought for the right to own other people is a shameful part of my past, and the only positive thing that came out of it was that I was wounded, turned into a vampire, and given the opportunity to live long enough to meet you.”

Grace finally met his gaze. She knew that he was being genuine before she looked up, but something about his expression, the furrow of his brows and the tension in his lips, shook any ounce of doubt she had left.  
“You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met. Jasper Cullen.” Grace spoke and was promptly met with that dazzling smile she loved so much. She leaned in to kiss him just to be interrupted by her father climbing the stairs, probably with chinese food in hand. She looked towards her door, and Jasper disappeared from the corner of her eye.

After dinner, she and Jasper would talk again. They would talk about Jasper’s past and some of the more notable historical events he had lived through, but this time, there would be no tension and no worry in Grace’s mind because Jasper was good, and he always had been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooow, it's been awhile. I'm getting married in a week and have been overwhelmed pulling this whole thing together myself, so I took a much needed self-care break and wrote something out for you guys! Sorry if it's trash, but the idea wouldn't leave me alone, so here we are!
> 
> Thanks for reading <3


	9. Venom in the Veins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James attacks again. Grace doesn't fare so well this time, and Jasper comes undone.

Grace sat at her usual lunch table, surrounded by the Cullens minus Edward who was on a cross-country trip with Carlisle. She was chewing on a small chunk of apple with a distant look in her eyes. This was one of those times where Jasper couldn’t get a read on how she was feeling. She was so deep in her thoughts, and he didn’t even have Edward to interpret them. All Jasper could get from her was a quickened heartbeat, and single syllable answers. 

Lunch was moving along normally, albeit a bit quieter than usual with everyone concerned with Grace’s state of mind. It had been over a month since the crash and she was still under 24 hour vampire watch. 

“I think I saw James last night…” Grace mumbled, seemingly out of blue to the vampires around her. And then their eyes were all laser-focused on her.

“You saw him? Where? When?” Jasper was boiling already.

“I was just washing my face...I looked up in the mirror, and I think I saw him behind me...it was so fast. I thought I was seeing things. A-and then you were back, so I knew I was mistaken.” She met eyes with Jasper for the first time that day. Her own eyes started to well up as the overwhelming feeling of fear really started to hit her.

“I kept dreaming about him last night. And I couldn’t get away. I couldn’t wake up. I couldn’t talk or scream or anything.” She was shaking by now and tears were streaming down her face. Jasper reached out to brush the droplets away, but Grace beat him too it. She sniffed to stop her nose from running. 

“That sounds like sleep paralysis.” Alice spoke up. “Dad would know more.” The pixie girl waved off a trio of Grace’s friends who were clearly worried about her crying in the middle of a crowded lunchroom.

“And then this morning, my black hoodie was missing. The one that says Sherlock on it.”

“How the hell did he get passed us?!” Jasper was near shouting at this point, and other students were looking.

“We need to go. Now.” Rosalie muttered, leaning into the group to do so. She got up, grabbed her backpack, and started walking to the exit closest to the parking lot. Emmett jumped up and met Jasper on the other side of their table to walk him out, just as Alice was doing the same for Grace.

“Meet at the house. I’ll call mom and dad. He and Edward need to get back here.” Rosalie climbed into the passenger seat of the jeep as she spoke. 

They drove back to the Cullen home, Jasper and Grace in his black Mercedes in the middle of the jeep and Alice’s corvette. Everyone moved inside quickly and convened in the kitchen.

Grace, having been in a haze during most of the transition, snapped out of it just for a moment to realize and speak.

“U-um my cell phone. I think I left it in the car.” She started walking back towards the garage. “My dad might call.” She disappeared to retrieve the device as Rosalie updated everyone else.

“Dad and Edward are already almost home. Edward had a bad feeling, so they boarded a flight a couple of hours ago. Could be here any minute. They told mom. She’s on her way back from Port Angeles. An hour away. What’s our plan? What do we know?”

“James is acting on impulse. I haven’t been able to see him make any decisions, and I’m constantly searching.” Alice answered.

“He’s also masking his scent somehow if he was there last night.” Emmett offered.

“He must have been at her house before last night. He’s probably wearing her clothes to mask the scent.” Jasper was close to breaking the granite of the counter-top he was gripping. “And having her clothes makes it easier to track her by scent. We need to -”

Jasper was interrupted by a scream of absolute terror. He was moving instantly toward her. They all were. The clatter of tools falling to the ground could be heard before Jasper could reach her. Her screams and cries of pain were echoing through the Cullen home.

And then, the smell hit him. Her blood was fresh and the scent was filling the air and clouding his thoughts. Jasper was torn between the pain in his chest over her being hurt and the frenzy in his brain over the lure of her blood scent. Before he could move, but Emmett was one step ahead. Emmett’s arms were locked around him in a vice.

“Jasper, you need to calm down!” Emmett was practically growling with the strength it was taking to contain his brother. 

He watched Alice and Rosalie run out, probably in the hopes of finding James. 

“Emmett, let me go!” Jasper was thrashing about, trying to escape his brother’s grasp. 

Grace was still on the garage floor. Her screams had turned to whimpers.as the venom spread like fire in her veins.If the venom got to her heart, there was no going back. She tried to call out to Jasper, but she couldn’t get the word out as all of her energy went to getting short breaths in. 

“If I let you go, you’ll kill her Jasper! Look at you! Your eyes are black and I can smell the venom in your mouth.”

Grace’s vision was blurring as tears of panic and pain tracked over her cheeks and nose. She was losing consciousness quickly. Her vision was growing dark, and her hearing was muffled. She knew at this point that she would die. She would die engulfed in what felt like the flames of hell. She would die on a cold concrete garage floor. She would die alone knowing that Jasper was only a few feet away from her. She could see his feet underneath the car she lay behind. She could hear him struggling to get to her. And then she couldn’t see anything. Her vision was gone and the only sense left the roaring of blood in her ears and the feeling of fire in her lungs.

“I can’t feel her, Emmett please!” Jasper was still thrashing about, but Emmett was stronger.

“Let him go, Emmett. He’s the only one who can save her.” Carlisle appeared in the garage followed by Edward who quickly receded at the smell of human blood. He was in front of Jasper in a moment, gripping his shoulders. The older vampire nodded for Emmett to leave and looked Jasper in the eye.

“Jasper, you can save her, but you have to be able to stop yourself when you can no longer taste the venom. Otherwise, you’ll kill her. I’ll check her vitals and stabilize any wounds. I’ll be right beside you.” He tried to reassure his adopted son.

Jasper found it incredibly difficult to focus on Carlisle’s words with his soulmate dying mere feet away and her blood dizzying his mind, but he nodded when his father stopped talking. When the grip on his shoulders disappeared, Jasper wasted no time in getting to Grace’s side. She was breathing raggedly, and her heart was beating much too fast. Her face was expressionless. She was unconscious. Her body was in shock. 

“Jasper! Quickly!” He heard his father say. “The bite is on her right forearm!” Jasper located the bite, lifted her arm, and sank his teeth into her veins before he could get nervous about it. Her blood filled his mouth almost instantly, rich and thick like honey. The taste was tainted with the bitter poison of her attacker, but Jasper was hooked from the moment her blood hit his tongue. He started drinking her in large swallows. The venom swirled in his stomach making him want to vomit, but he couldn’t make himself pull away from her.

Carlisle, who sounded several yards away, informed him that Grace’s heart rate had begun to slow and stabilize. Jasper could taste exactly when the venom was gone from her body, and his grip tightened on her arm. He was drinking her blood in its purest most intoxicating form, straight from the vein. How could he stop? 

He felt a strong grip on his shoulder and growled with a ferocity unheard of towards his father. But his control had slipped well beyond the point where he could listen or pull back. 

“Jasper!” He was ripped away from her. He landed on his back, Carlisle on top of him pinning him to the ground. He snarled, eyes a violent red as a result of drinking human blood, the blood of his beloved. 

“You’re going to kill her!” Carlisle was struggling to hold Jasper down. He was the youngest and still held a lot of his strength from the newborn phase. “Her blood is clean! If you keep going, you’ll drain her or re-poison her!” The elder Cullen was thrown backgrounds. His body crashed into the concrete of the garage wall, making a size-able crater in the process. 

Jasper was over Grace again in moments. He grabbed her arm, fangs bared and ready to pierce a more lucrative vein, a major artery perhaps. As he leaned in to bite, he was distracted by slight movement. Her eyes were moving behind the lids. Her eyelashes were fluttering at the attempt to open. Grace was conscious. And as she forced her eyes open, before she could clear the blur in her vision, before she could make sense of where she was or what had happened, she whispered his name. 

“J-Jazz…” The moment of clarity that Jasper experienced at hearing Grace speak was enough of a distraction to allow Carlisle to tackle his son to the ground again. And as Jasper’s anger flared to attack, he was pinned. Edward and Emmett each on a leg, Rosalie and Alice at his arms, and Esme holding his head. He snarled and growled, but he was no match for the strength of five vampires.

Carlisle quickly gathered up Grace’s semi-conscious form and rushed her away.

“Everything is going to be fine Jasper. We’re gonna give you deer blood and hold you here until you’re calmed down. Then, we’ll take you to her.” Esme spoke with her calming voice, seemingly unaffected by the aggression and struggle of her youngest son. “I’m proud of you, my son. So proud.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! 
> 
> I'm all married, moved, and situated in a new career, and I finally have a little free time to write! Hooray! I'm terribly sorry for such a long hiatus. <3


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